PRIVY COUNCIL

Exhibitions

Tim Yeo: To ask the President of the Council if he will list events at which his Department has exhibited in each of the last three years, stating for each (a) the purpose of exhibiting, (b) the cost of exhibiting and (c) the number of staff attending for the exhibition.

Ben Bradshaw: The Privy Council Office has not exhibited at any event in the last three years.

Market Testing

John Bercow: To ask the President of the Council what the estimated level of saving to the Department is from the use of market testing in 2002–03.

Ben Bradshaw: The Privy Council Office has not used market testing in 2002–03.

Members' Pension Scheme

David Drew: To ask the President of the Council if he will make a statement on the basis on which the additional subventions from public funds are being made to the hon. Members' pension scheme; what discussions he has had with hon. Members who are members of the Pension Fund on the subject of additional public funding; and what alternatives to additional public funds were discussed on how to meet the shortfall in hon. Members' pension scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: My statement to the House on 24 March 2003, Official Report, column 2WS, explained that the Parliamentary and Other Pensions Act 1987 requires the Government Actuary to value the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund at three-yearly intervals and to make recommendations as to the amount of the Exchequer contribution. The Act further requires the Government to implement the Government Actuary's recommendations with effect from the following financial year.
	The Senior Salaries Review Body will no doubt consider the balance of funding of the pension scheme, as between Exchequer and members, in its next review of parliamentary remuneration.

Working Hours

Tim Yeo: To ask the President of the Council what policy on (a) core hours and (b) flexible working hours is operated by his Department.

Ben Bradshaw: Where operationally appropriate, staff in the Privy Council Office may take advantage of flexible working hours. The flexible working day is between 7.30 and 18.30, for which core times are from 10.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 16.00. A half-hour break should be taken between 12.00 and 14.00. Staff may build up excess hours of up to a day and half and work with a deficit of up to one day within any four-week 'flexi-time' accounting period. Flexi-leave to use up excess hours requires line management approval and is agreed where operationally possible.

TRANSPORT

Airport Development (South-East)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish revised projections for the Internal Rate of Return for the Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted options presented in Table 14.11 of SERAS Stage Two Appraisal Findings report, taking account of the new maximum airport landing charges recommended by the CAA.

John Spellar: holding answer 1 April 2003
	The calculations, taking account of the new maximum airport charges for the period 2003–04 to 2007–08, are as follows:
	
		
			BASE Estimate 60y BASE Estimate 60y  Levy @ airport(IRR)  Levy @ all airports(IRR) RPI + x% @airport (IRR)  RPI + x% @ allairports (IRR) 
			 Package Airport Runway NPV IRR £2 £4 £1 £2 1% 2% 0.5% 1% 
		
		
			 5B LHR 1st 111 13.3 15.8 18.4 15.4 17.6 15.8 18.2 15.1 16.8 
			 6 LGW 1st -392 6.1 9.1 11.8 25.1 32.1 9.2 11.5 22.4 25.2 
			 7 STN 1st -873 5.8 7.5 9.0 14.1 16.8 7.8 9.5 13.7 15.7

CO2 Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the annual CO2 emissions from the transport sector were in each year since 1990; and what plans he has in place to reduce these.

John Spellar: Annual carbon dioxide (CO2) and other emissions from the transport sector are published each year in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, which is available at www.naei.org.uk, and in Transport Statistics Great Britain, which is available via my Department's website at www.dft.gov.uk. Ratified data is available up to the year 2000. CO2 emissions from the transport sector since 1990 are set out in the following table (all figures are given as megatonnes of carbon equivalents).
	
		
			  Road transport Other transport Total 
		
		
			 1990 29.7 4.9 34.6 
			 1991 29.5 4.8 34.3 
			 1992 29.9 4.7 34.6 
			 1993 30.3 4.7 35.0 
			 1994 30.4 4.5 34.9 
			 1995 30.1 4.4 34.5 
			 1996 31.3 4.5 35.8 
			 1997 31.7 4.3 36.0 
			 1998 31.5 4.1 35.6 
			 1999 31.7 3.9 35.6 
			 2000 31.5 3.8 35.3 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures given in this table are emissions "by source" and do not include emissions from the production of transport fuels and electricity. "Other transport" includes railways, domestic aviation and military aircraft, shipping, naval vessels and off-road sources. For further details, please see the explanatory notes in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory and in Transport Statistics Great Britain.
	The Government have taken a number of steps in recent years to reduce total carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector. Precise measures in place to reduce these emissions vary between different modes of transport. But in each case they essentially comprise some or all the following:
	adopting more stringent technical standards to limit the emissions at source
	supporting research and development to develop cleaner technology
	applying economic instruments to encourage the cleanest use of existing technology and/or the purchase and use of new, cleaner technology.
	On the road transport side, the Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, published in July 2002, sets out our plans for supporting the shift to low carbon vehicles and fuels, and sets ambitious targets for future sales of low-carbon vehicles. The Energy White Paper, published in February 2003, complements this Strategy and explains the further steps the Government are taking to improve the carbon efficiency of transport. Key measures include:
	the graduated vehicle excise duty and company car tax systems, introduced in 2001 and 2002 respectively, which reward those who choose the most carbon-efficient vehicles;
	fiscal incentives and other grants for low-carbon vehicles and fuels (including biofuels, which can deliver significant lifecycle carbon savings);
	the setting up of a Low Carbon Vehicles Partnership bringing together key stakeholders from the automotive, energy and other sectors to help bring about a shift to low carbon vehicles and fuels;
	working with the European Commission to develop further voluntary agreements with automotive manufacturers to deliver further reductions in new car CO2 emissions.

London Underground

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects London Underground to be transferred to Transport for London.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 1 April 2003, Official Report, column 610W, to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake).

Trains

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his forecast date is for replacement of the last operational slam door train on British Railways.

John Spellar: The Strategic Rail Authority is leading an industry wide Mark 1 replacement Programme to ensure that all Mark 1 rolling stock is removed from the Network by 31 December 2004 as required in the 1999 Rail Safety Regulation. Because of the failure of Railtrack to ensure an adequate power supply for the South London Network, it has become clear that it may be necessary to provide for around 300–350 vehicles to operate on the network after December 2004. The SRA hopes these vehicles will be removed from the network in spring 2005.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) mandate, (b) range of duties and (c) composition is of the existing Joint Regional Teams in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 2 April 2003
	Provincial Reconstruction Teams (as Joint Regional Teams are now called) are deployed with the agreement of the Afghan Transitional Administration. Their role is to assist in extending the Transitional Administration's authority, help to develop a stable and secure environment in the Afghan regions and facilitate security sector reform and reconstruction. The teams deployed so far are led by the US and include both military and civilian personnel.

Container Incident

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was in the Levins containers found in the former First World War training area near Saltdene; what happened to this material; and what representations were received from the Health and Safety Executive about the disposal of this material.

Lewis Moonie: Four Levins containers were recovered to Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) Porton Down from the Brighton area in October 1993. It is believed that these are the items to which my hon. Friend is referring.
	The containers were opened at Porton Down in 1994 in accordance with normal procedures and were found to contain sand and water.
	No representations were received by DSTL Porton Down from the Health and Safety Executive concerning the disposal of these containers.

Departmental Invoices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions on which (a) his Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period in the financial year 2001–02.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Bills Agency is a shared service centre for the Ministry of Defence accounts payable and debt management function, paying the bulk (4.5 million per annum) of the Department's bills.
	In financial year 2001–02, the agency had a Key Target to pay 99.5 per cent. of correctly presented bills within 11 calendar days, as a response to the overall Government target of 30 days. Actual performance against the target was 99.9 per cent.
	Information on the occasions where we failed to pay valid invoices within 30 days or after the agreed credit period could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Depleted Uranium

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what plans he has to review the use by British forces of depleted uranium ammunition in the light of its environmental impact in Bosnia-Herzegovina;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the findings of the UN Environment Programme's report on depleted uranium in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Adam Ingram: I have no current plans to review the use of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition by British Forces.
	United Nations Environment Programme environmental assessment of Bosnia-Herzogovina concluded that the recorded contamination levels are very low and do not present immediate radioactive or toxic risks for the environment or human health. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 April 2003, Official Report, columns 735–36W, to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Ms Munn).

Gulf War (Compensation)

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) civilian support staff and (b) military personnel are required to prove that injuries or illnesses are Gulf war related before they are entitled to compensation from the Government.

Lewis Moonie: Claims for common law compensation made against the Ministry of Defence by anyone are considered on the basis of whether or not the Ministry of Defence has a legal liability to pay compensation. Where there is a legal liability to pay compensation we do so.
	No-fault compensation for Service personnel disabled as a result of their Service is provided in the form of the War Pensions Scheme. A war disablement pension can be paid for any disablement provided a causal link to Service is accepted.
	As at 31 December 2002, 2,364 Gulf veterans were in receipt of a war disablement pension (this figure includes awards for both Gulf and non-Gulf related illness).

HMS Sheffield

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1) , what guarantee there is in the sale document that HMS Sheffield will never be owned by the Argentinian Government;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with (a) the Argentinian Government and (b) the Chilean Government about the sale of HMS Sheffield;
	(3)  what plans he has to sell HMS Sheffield.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 28 March 2003
	In common with all Government-to-Government sales of surplus United Kingdom defence equipment, the sales documentation for HMS Sheffield contains an undertaking by the buying Government that they will obtain prior formal consent of the Ministry of Defence to the transfer of possession of the ship or its equipments to any third party. Additionally the Government that buys HMS Sheffield from the United Kingdom will be required to apply for an Export Licence from the Department of Trade and Industry, which will involve submission of an end user certificate.
	The subject of the sale of HMS Sheffield has been discussed during contacts between United Kingdom and Chilean Defence Ministers on issues of mutual interest since the declaration of the ship for disposal. The subject has not been raised in similar bilateral meetings with the Argentinean Government.
	Negotiations over the sale of HMS Sheffield for future use to an acceptable overseas government are in their final stages.

Iraq

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK forces will seek to deliver humanitarian relief in disputed territory in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: Until the security situation in Iraq stabilises enough for civilian aid agencies to deploy fully, United Kingdom forces will continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq where it is needed and where they are able to do so. However, we cannot deliver that assistance if doing so poses unacceptable risks to British soldiers. By disguising his militia as civilians, Saddam Hussein is disrupting the provision of aid. This is entirely consistent with the disregard he has always shown towards his own people.

Iraq

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what responsibilities under the Geneva Convention coalition forces have to deliver humanitarian relief in disputed territory in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom is a party to the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and will comply fully with its obligations under that Convention. The application of the provisions of that Convention depends on the progress of the conflict and may differ across the country. The provision of humanitarian assistance by United Kingdom forces has already begun in towns in southern Iraq where the situation has stabilised enough to make this possible. That effort will continue until civilian aid agencies can deploy fully.
	In other areas where United Kingdom troops are present, we are monitoring the humanitarian situation and stand ready to provide whatever assistance is required once local elements of the regime collapse and a secure environment is established.

Iraq

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to parachute aid into urban areas meeting fierce resistance in the Iraqi conflict.

Adam Ingram: We currently have no such plans.

Iraq

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been given to the Royal Mail regarding parcels and mail to the armed forces involved in action in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: Advice given to Royal Mail Group on the subject of mail to personnel deployed in the Gulf is as follows:
	A surface parcels service is not available, and parcels should not be accepted.
	Airmail letters and packets up to two kilograms in weight should be charged at the BFPO European rate, which equates to first class inland postal charges.
	Forces Free Air Letters ("blueys") are available free of charge.
	The BFPO numbers applicable to deployed forces and HM Ships have been specified.
	I refer my hon. Friend also to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 912, to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, North (Mrs. Adams).

Iraq

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral answers to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) and the right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay) on 31 March 2003, Official Report, columns 651 and 660, if he will make a further statement on his Department's policy on postal services to Her Majesty's forces in the Gulf.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 2 April 2003, Official Report, column 912, to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, North (Mrs. Adams).

Iraq

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the potential environmental impact of the use of depleted uranium ammunition in the current operations against Iraq.

Adam Ingram: It is not possible to carry out environmental impact studies in Iraq at the present time. However, we accept the Royal Society's assessment of the potential effects of depleted uranium (DU) on the environment, as detailed in the two reports on "The Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium Munitions" (2001, 2002).
	DU particulate remains highly localised to the points of impact where DU munitions have struck hard targets: only in these small areas would DU levels be significant enough to necessitate precautions to prevent or reduce possible intakes. This view is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme as well as the Royal Society's DU Working Group.
	The Royal Society's report on "The Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium Munitions" Part II states that
	"Modelling of the amounts of DU re-suspended from soil in the years following a conflict indicates that the estimated inhalation intakes will not lead to any increase in the incidence of lung cancer or any other cancers among children or adults. Nor are they likely to lead to any significant effects on kidney function."

Land Sales

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list his Department's sites in the South East of England that (a) have been sold to developers in the last six years and (b) are available for sale to developers.

Lewis Moonie: The following lists provide details of those properties that have been sold to developers in the last six years in the South East of England and properties that are or will be available to developers.
	Properties sold by the ministry of defence in the last six years to developers
	Kent
	RAF Manston
	Territorial Army Volunteers Reserves Association HQ, Maidstone
	Old Park Barracks, Dover
	Deal Barracks
	Army Careers Information Office, Roper Road, Canterbury
	Army Careers Information Office, Dover
	Land at Richmond Close, Upnor
	Barrier House, Chatcham
	Sussex
	TAC, Denne Road, Horsham
	81, Bexhill Road, St. Leonards-on-sea
	Territorial Army Centre Preston Barracks, Brighton
	Greater London
	Part of Woolwich Arsenal West
	Land to North of Aerodrome Road, Hendon
	RAF Hendon
	RAF Hendon East Camp
	Kenley aerodrome
	Stanmore Park
	Royal Army Medical College, Millbank
	Master Gunner Place, Woolwich
	1 Artillery Place, Woolwich
	Rushgrove Street, Woolwich
	Territorial Army Centre Harrow
	TAC Heston
	TAC Finchley
	TAC East Ham
	TAC Cobham
	TAC Slough
	Surrey
	Former army firestation, Deepcut.
	Land at Broadoaks Crescent, Byfleet
	Land at Broadoaks, Byfleet
	Land at Woodbridge, Guildford
	Land at Gordon Road, Camberley
	QE Barracks, Guildford
	TA Centre, Sandfield Terrace, Guildford
	Land at Tolworth
	Land at TAC Batts Hill, Redhill
	Hampshire
	Royal Pavillion, Aldershot
	Ordnance Stores Centre Weyhill, Andover
	The Bungalow, Fleet Road, Aldershot
	Land at Coopers Lane, Bramley
	Land at Gun Hill Road and Middle Hill, Aldershot
	Land at Lasham Airfield
	Land at Martin Lines, Beacon Hill Road, Church Crookham
	Pumphouse triangle, Bordon
	Area K, Bordon
	Anglesey House, Aldershot
	Guillemont Square, Minley
	TAC Redan Road, Aldershot
	TAC Carlton Road, Southampton
	Ordnance Stores Unit Liphook
	Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Church Crookham
	Land at St. Christopher's Road, Cove
	Farnborough Aerodrome
	Cambridge House Gosport
	Land at Defence Munitions Gosport
	SCU Leydene Petersfield
	Eastney Furniture Store
	St. Georges Barracks South
	Stubbington WT Station
	Gunwharf Portsmouth
	Series House Winchester
	Fintington South
	Fintington North—QinetiQ
	Portsdown WOTS—QinetiQ
	Alverstoke—QinetiQ
	Part of Fraser Range—QinetiQ
	Part of Hilsea Sportsfield
	Land at USSG—Portsea
	Land at Ferry Road Eastney
	Property at HM Naval Base—U Thorneycroft
	Land at Felicia Park Gosport
	Sub Station Site at Eastney
	House at 2 Redan
	House at 12 Redan
	Land at Stamshaw
	Land at Matapan Road
	Land at Tipton Lane Gosport
	Land at Northway Road, Hilsea
	House at 18 Jellicoe Avenue, Gosport
	House at 4 Redan Gosport
	House at 1 Admiralty Cottages Gosport
	Part of Fraser Range East
	Plots at Jarvrin
	Prater Industrial Land Gosport
	Portsdown OFP Land
	Peewit Island Gosport
	Land at Marchwood
	RMA Eastney
	Dean House
	Plot at Dean House
	RNUD Botley
	Brunei House Portsmouth
	Rowner Filling Station Gosport
	Oil Fuel Depot Rowfant
	Gas Governor Site—Chichester
	Land at Manor Way—Leigh-on-Solent
	29 Fort Road—Alverstoke
	Priddys Hard Gosport
	MQs Rowner Gosport
	Berkshire
	Land at Sidestrand Road, Newbury.
	Greenham Common
	Land at Ditton Park, Datchet
	Land at Poperinghe Barracks, Arborfield
	Land at Boundary Hall, Aldermaston
	Storage Depot, Station Road, Thatcham
	Buckinghamshire
	Land at Medmenham
	Land at RAF Medmenham
	TAC Wooburn
	TAC High Wycombe
	Oxfordshire
	Leafield Comms centre
	Land to North of RAF Benson
	Beckett Cottage, Shrivenham
	Defence Clothing and Textile Agency, Didcot
	Properties to be sold by MOD to developers
	Kent
	Land at Whitewall Creek, Frindsbury
	Land at TAC Faversham
	Sussex
	Drill Hall, TAC Bexhill Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea
	TAC Hawkhurst
	Greater London
	Canteen Site, DGIA, Feltham
	Officers' Mess, DGIA, Feltham
	Land at RAF West Drayton
	Land at TAC Dulwich
	Surrey
	Building 76/77, Deepcut Bridge Road, Deepcut
	Longcross Barracks, Chertsey
	Hampshire
	Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot
	Land falling out of Project Connaught (details unknown until preferred bidder announced)
	Queensgate site, Farnborough
	Civil Enclave, Farnborough
	RE Lines and St. Lucia Lodge, Bordon
	Land at Vine Close, Aldershot
	Fort Southwick Gosport
	Rowner Footbridge Gosport
	Land at Marchwood
	Tipnor FPU
	Berkshire
	Staff College, Bracknell
	Buckinghamshire
	Land at ACF/ATC Marlow
	Halton Hospital
	Land at TAC Aylesbury
	Oxfordshire
	Families Club, Ambrosden
	Vauxhall Barracks, Didcot
	RAF Bicester

Medical Records

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will write to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South regarding his answer of 7 November 2002, Official Report, column 454W, concerning service personnel medical records.

Lewis Moonie: I have written today.

Operation Resonate North

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the status is of Operation Resonate North; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: In view of the ongoing air operations against Iraq, patrols in the No Fly Zones are now redundant. This does not mean that we have in any way reduced our humanitarian concerns for the Iraqi people. Our servicemen and women have daily risked their lives enhancing the security of the civilian population for over a decade, and we will continue to demonstrate that commitment.

RAF Menwith Hill

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who paid for the services of (a) his Department's police and (b) Home Office police at the demonstration at RAF Menwith Hill on 22 March; how many from each were deployed; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: 136 additional Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) officers were deployed at RAF Menwith Hill over the 24 hour period, 22 March 2003. The cost of routine MDP services at RAF Menwith Hill is borne by the United States Government. Additional MDP costs occasioned by demonstrator activity is borne by the Ministry of Defence. The funding arrangement and numbers of Home Department Police deployed at RAF Menwith Hill on 22 March 2003, is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

Service Personnel

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made to enable servicemen and women from the Gulf to (a) telephone and (b) e-mail home; and what the costs are to the service personnel.

Adam Ingram: Personnel are allowed 20 minutes telephone time per week and open access to e-mail. Both are free of charge. These arrangements have been in place for some time for personnel deployed in support of Operations Resinate and Oracle. For those deployed in support of Operation Telic, we continue to build up all aspects of the Operational Welfare Package as quickly as possible. For the duration of the combat phase, operational security considerations will govern the availability of both telephones and e-mail facilities to troops in a combat role. Any troops unable to use their allowance for operational security reasons will be able to accumulate their allowance for use at a later stage in the operation.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal By-products

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will issue technical guidance on the use of on-farm incinerators for the purposes of complying with the EU Animal by-products regulation.

Elliot Morley: Interim guidance is already available on the DEFRA website. Full guidance will be sent with a letter to all livestock farmers about disposal of fallen stock under the EU Animal by-products regulation shortly.

Farm Incomes

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the level of change in farm incomes between 2001 and 2002.

Elliot Morley: Total income from farming in the UK in 2002 is estimated to be £2.36 billion which is 15 per cent. (14 per cent. in real terms) higher than its 2001 level. Total income from farming is income generated by production within the agriculture industry, including subsidies, and represents business profits plus remuneration for work done by owners and other unpaid workers. Total income from farming per full time person equivalent rose by 19 per cent. (18 per cent. in real terms) to £11,107.
	Although having risen in each of the last two years, total income from farming is still 62 per cent. below its peak in 1995 (after more than doubling between 1990 and 1995). The long term trend in income has been downwards although it rose and fell dramatically in the nineties due to changes in exchange rates, world commodity prices and the impact of BSE.
	More detailed information on farm incomes can be found in a Statistics News Release titled Provisional estimates of farm incomes in the United Kingdom' published on 30 January 2003 (amended 31 January 2003), which can be found onthe Defra website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/esq/work htm/Notices/account.pdf, and in the publications Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2002 and Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom, which may be found on the Defra website at http://www.defra.qov.Uk/esq/m publications.htm.

Food Chain (Terrorist Threat)

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken in the last five years to develop a network of laboratories for the (a) detection, (b) identification, (c) diagnosis and (d) research into (i) biological agents and (ii) technology to counter terrorist action to British (A) farms and (B) food supplies.

Elliot Morley: Terrorism is a scenario we do consider seriously. DEFRA has for many years had in place emergency planning and contingency planning for dealing with threats to food supplies and agriculture. Such threats come not only from terrorism or a deliberate action; they can be part of nature.
	As part of normal business the department does carry out research against potential contamination of public water supplies and research in areas such as exotic animal disease detection, diagnosis and control.

Illegal Meat Imports

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) training and (b) technical advice has been provided by her Department to officers of Customs and Excise who are due to take over responsibility for anti-smuggling controls on illegal imports of meat from 11 April.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 31 March 2003
	Defra is working with Port Health Authorities and HM Customs and Excise to ensure Customs have the resources and knowledge to fulfil their new role. Detailed tables of products, countries and allowances have been prepared by Defra for use by Customs officers working in passenger terminals, postal depots and with cargo. Defra has provided guidance to Local and Port Health Authorities on Customs' new role and is contributing to HM Customs guidance to their officers. Defra has, since last autumn, paid for additional staff to carry out checks on illegal meat and plant imports at major ports and airports. These staff will be retained for an interim period from 11 to 30 April to give technical support to Customs officers on their new responsibilities.

Light Pollution

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures the Government are taking to combat light pollution in urban areas.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have issued "Lighting in the Countryside: Towards Good Practice", and guidance on good street lighting practice to encourage the use of lighting types which prevent or minimise unwanted upward illumination.

Food Supplies

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of food purchased by the (a) MOD, (b) NHS and (c) DFES was locally sourced in the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 18 March 2003
	Defra is leading an initiative designed to encourage key public sector bodies to procure their food and catering services in a manner that promotes sustainable development and does not discriminate against local and UK suppliers. However, we do not hold information on the proportion of food purchased by the MOD, NHS and DfES from local sources. This is a question that should be addressed to them, although they may only be able to supply figures for food purchased from UK sources, as they are unlikely to collect such detailed information. DfES does not purchase food for schools or other educational institutions, as this is the responsibility of individual schools etc or, where budgets have not been delegated, that of the local education authority.

TREASURY

EU Funding

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total EU funding to (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) England was in each of the last three years.

Ruth Kelly: A breakdown of all EC receipts paid in Scotland, Wales and England is not held centrally. However, details of total UK public sector receipts, broken down by Fund, from the EC Budget for the period 1996–97 to 2001–02 can be found in Table 3.2 (page 12) of the Government's White Paper: European Community Finances (Cm 5547) published in July 2002.

International Finance Facility

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether additional capital raised through the International Finance Facility will count against the target of gross national product that the United Kingdom has pledged to spend on aid to developing countries; and how it will be accounted for.

John Healey: The International Finance Facility will seek to provide the additional resources necessary to meet the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
	The UK is committed to reaching the 0.7 per cent. of GNI target in the longer term; the IFF provides a realistic and feasible way to rapidly increase aid flows and make faster progress towards this target in the years up to 2015. The accounting treatment of the disbursement of funds raised through the IFF is subject to further technical discussions.

Marriage Fees

John Denham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the costs of waiving the fee charged to couples seeking to marry in less than the 15 day waiting period where one partner has been called up for military service overseas; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr John Denham, dated 4 April 2003
	As National Statistician and Registrar General, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the waiving of fees charged to couples seeking to marry in less than the 15 day waiting period. (106998)
	The fee payable to me as Registrar General is 28 for each application to reduce the 15 day waiting period. It was set when the power was introduced on 1 January 2001 and is a prescribed fee that represents the costs to the Registrar General of providing this service and I have has no power to reduce or waive it.

Wine and Spirits

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how the total revenue from duty on (a) wines and (b) spirits is calculated in any one year;
	(2)  what the total value of wine brought across borders to the UK in 2002 is;
	(3)  how much wine and spirits were smuggled into the UK last year.

John Healey: The total revenue from the duty on wines and spirits for any one year is calculated from the net duty receipts recorded by HM Customs and Excise Central Accounting Operations. Details of the amount of revenue received on wines and spirits are published in Customs' annual report, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
	The declared value of wine imports in 2002 was £2.01 billion, excluding duty and VAT.
	Figures for the total volume of wine and spirits smuggled in 2002 are not available. Estimates of the value of alcohol products smuggled by cross-Channel passengers in 2002 and estimates of the total of fraud affecting alcohol products in 2000–01 were published in "Measuring Indirect Tax Losses" in November 2002, a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Defence

Paul Keetch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office to what use the national network of civil defence bunkers established during the Cold War is being put.

Douglas Alexander: Following a review of emergency planning arrangements in 1992, all the civil defence regional headquarters in England and Wales were offered up for sale on the open market and are now under private ownership.

Senior Civil Service

Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on ethnic minority representation in the Senior Civil Service.

Douglas Alexander: The Civil Service is making progress on increasing the representation of minority ethnic staff at Senior Civil Service level.
	As at October 2002, 2.8 per cent. of staff at this level were from a minority ethnic background. This is up from 1.6 per cent. in April 1998, and represents good progress towards our target of 3.2 per cent. by 2004–05.
	There is a range of action in place to ensure sustained action to improve representation at senior levels.

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff were employed by his Department in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Douglas Alexander: The information is not available in the format requested. Staffing figures for Civil Service Departments and agencies are published twice yearly by press notice, copies of which are laid in the Libraries of both Houses. Information relating to 1 April 2002 was published on 31 October 2002, and information for October 2002 was published on 27 February this year. Information relating to 1 April 2003 is not yet available. The figures are also made available via the worldwide web at: http://www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics/documents/pdf/staffing 03.pdf

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Conservatory Construction Industry

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to protect industry standards and law-abiding companies from rogue traders in the household conservatory construction industry.

Brian Wilson: DTI is already rolling out the Quality Mark Scheme for builders and tradesmen in the domestic repair and maintenance sector. A detailed business plan is currently under development to underpin the next stage of the Scheme. It is expected this will be put to Ministers for their approval shortly. The Quality Mark Scheme aims to raise standards in this sector, bring peace of mind to consumers and provide reputable companies with a competitive edge. It covers all the main trades in this sector, including conservatories, and requires tradesmen to be independently assessed against a range of standards including workmanship, skills and qualifications, customer care and financial probity.

Contracts (Russia)

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what UK requirements and guidelines she sets British companies signing contracts in Russia in respect of their policies towards their Russian employees.

Patricia Hewitt: Any UK company wishing to enter into a business arrangement with a Russian partner would be advised to satisfy itself as to all aspects of the contractual arrangements which it was being asked to enter into. In line with our aim of actively promoting corporate social responsibility, we would also encourage companies to work with their partners and suppliers to address the economic, social and environmental impacts of their policies and activities. In the light of this, one good way of achieving these goals would be to act in accordance with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and to perform at least the standards they suggest.

Departmental Running Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department.

Patricia Hewitt: The Consolidated Resource Accounts published by the Department of Trade and Industry for the financial year 2001–02, show total administration costs for the department and its agencies of £520 million.
	Of these administration costs the amount spent on Ministers' private offices were £4.08 million of which staff costs were £1.70 million.
	Complete data are not yet available for 2002–03.

Huntingdon Life Sciences Group

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the current status of her Department's provision of insurance services to Huntingdon Life Sciences Group.

Patricia Hewitt: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Haris) on 17 December 2002, Official Report, columns 733–34W, and the replies given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 592W, and 6 February 2003, Official Report, column 394W, which set out the current status of my Department's facilitation of insurance for Huntingdon Life Sciences Group plc.

Post Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding has been granted by the Sub-Post Office Start-up Capital Scheme to assist with one-off capital costs associated with the refurbishment or relocation of rural post offices.

Stephen Timms: I understand from Post Office Ltd., who administer the scheme, that, as at the end of February 2003, 156 grants to a total value of £1,130,409 had been approved, of which £883,773 had been paid out.

Post Offices

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions her Department held with Post Office Ltd. over the imposition of payment rate on postmasters for conducting Post Office card account transactions; what payment rate has been agreed; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Ministers and officials have regular contact with Post Office Ltd. to discuss a range of issues. Remuneration for postmasters is a commercial matter between Post Office Ltd. and the postmasters.

Post Offices

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role her Department is playing in the (a) employment and (b) remuneration of network development managers for the Urban Network Reinvention Programme for the Post Office.

Stephen Timms: None. These are operational matters for Post Office Ltd.

Telephone Services

Peter Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to (a) review and (b) amend regulation of (i) the pricing and (ii) the advertising of the pricing of premium rate telephone services.

Stephen Timms: The basis of the regulation of premium rate telephone services is being changed by the Communications Bill, when the whole telecommunications regulatory regime will be modified to implement the EC Electronic Communications Directives. The arrangements for regulating premium rate services will, however, as far as possible, follow the present model based on compliance with a code of practice established and enforced by the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) with back-up powers exercised, if necessary, by the sector regulator (currently OFTEL, but in future OFCOM).
	The code of practice embraces issues of pricing, provision, content, promotion and marketing of premium rate services, and provides for ICSTIS to investigate complaints and adjudicate on them. All this is expected to continue under the new arrangements. The Communications Bill gives OFCOM power to set conditions for the purpose of regulating the provision, content, promotion and marketing of premium rate services. It also gives OFCOM power to approve a code for regulating premium rate services (such as the ICSTIS code) and explicitly provides that such a code may, in particular, contain provision about the pricing of premium rate services and provision for enforcement of the code. Premium rate service providers will also continue to be subject to the rules governing non-broadcast advertisements and promotions set out in codes administered by the Advertising Standards Authority (the ASA).

Utility Companies

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about delays caused to (a) construction and (b) other development projects due to obstruction by utility companies.

Brian Wilson: The Department receives representations from time to time about connection and other issues where development projects interact with utility services.
	These are generally a matter for the parties concerned. In the case of certain connection issues, the electricity regulator Ofgem may be able to provide a determination.

HEALTH

Public Benefit Corporations

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the members of a public benefit corporation will have any role other than to (a) appoint and (b) elect the board of governors;
	(2)  whether the members of a public benefit corporation will have a role other than to appoint or elect the board of governors.

John Hutton: Subject to parliamentary approval, national health service foundation trusts will be set up as public benefit corporations. The minimum requirements for the constitution of public benefit corporations, including the role and function of the membership, are set out in Schedule 1 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill. Subject to approval by the Independent Regulator, individual NHS foundation trusts may add to these minimum requirements under their constitution.

Public Benefit Corporations

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for the legal status of bodies corporate formed using investment by NHS Foundation Trusts.

John Hutton: Subject to parliamentary approval, subsections (4) and (5) of clause 17 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill will give national health service foundation trusts financial and investment powers, including powers to invest money, form subsidiaries and enter into joint ventures, subject to any terms set in their authorisation by the Independent Regulator. Unlike for NHS trusts, for NHS foundation trusts the power to enter into joint ventures or subsidiaries will not be subject to the approval of the Secretary of State.

Asthma

Kerry Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of general practices (a) have a nurse with an asthma diploma and (b) have a nurse-led asthma service where the nurse does not have an asthma diploma; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Government is investing significantly in training provision in the National Health Service, which includes diploma programmes in the nursing management of asthma. Over the next three years, 2003–04 to 2005–06, an extra £96 million will be made available to ensure that all health professionals, including those working in primary care, have the right knowledge and skills to meet the changing and specific healthcare needs of all patients. The Department will be working with workforce development confederations to ensure that optimum use is gained from this investment and good practice is disseminated.

Co-payments

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what way a co-payment for health or social services will differ from a charge.

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce co-payments for the public services for which he is responsible.

John Hutton: holding answer 10 March 2003
	As my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister made clear on 2 April 2003, Official Report, columns. 914–15, we have no intention of introducing co-payments or extending charges whereby patients or users pay for a proportion of their treatment or care, beyond those services such as prescriptions and dentistry to which they already apply and which have been in place for some time.

Consultants

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants there are on average in an accident and emergency department in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority.

John Hutton: Information relating to the average number of accident and emergency consultants, within trusts that have an accident and emergency department, in England and in each strategic health authority, is shown in the table.
	
		Average number of hospital medical consultants with an Accident and Emergency specialty within trusts that have an Accident and Emergency department by Strategic Health Authority
		
			 Health authority Averages(1) 
		
		
			  
			  
			 England 2.8 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 2.5 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 3.8 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country 2.9 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 3.2 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 3.0 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire 3.6 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 2.7 
			 Dorset and Somerset 1.4 
			 Essex 1.8 
			 Greater Manchester 2.8 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 2.2 
			 Kent and Medway 3.5 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 2.7 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 2.0 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 2.4 
			 North Central London 3.2 
			 North East London 3.4 
			 North West London 2.9 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 3.4 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 1.4 
			 South East London 2.8 
			 South West London 3.0 
			 South West Peninsula 2.8 
			 South Yorkshire 3.2 
			 Surrey and Sussex 2.2 
			 Thames Valley 2.8 
			 Trent 3.4 
			 West Yorkshire 5.3 
		
	
	(1) Averages were calculated using the number (headcount) of A&E consultants within trusts that have A&E departments.
	Sources:
	Department of Health 2001 medical and dental workforce census
	Department of Health form KH12, 2001–02

Diabetes

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the terms of reference are of the new diabetes tsar.

David Lammy: The terms of reference for the national clinical director for diabetes are set out in the 'National Service Framework for Diabetes: Delivery Strategy' which was published in January 2003.
	The national clinical director for diabetes, Dr Sue Roberts, will oversee the implementation of the national service framework for diabetes by:
	Supporting National Health Service clinicians and managers in reaching the standards and delivering the targets
	Ensuring clinical commitment through professional leadership at national level
	Advising Ministers and officials in the Department on priorities and progress
	Working with the NHS Modernisation Agency, the National Institute for Clinical
	Excellence, the Commission for Health Improvement and the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection when it is established in 2004, and other bodies to support delivery
	A copy of the 'National Service Framework for Diabetes: Delivery Strategy' is available in the Library.

Drugs Education

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his Department's policy to include organisations which support the legalisation of cannabis in the list of organisations it recommends to schools for providing advice to young people on drugs.

Hazel Blears: Poster 31166 was not produced for schools, although teachers could register to receive it. The Department is not aware of any material produced by organisations listed on poster 31166 that explicitly promotes the legalisation of cannabis.
	Policy on recommending to schools who should provide advice to young people on drugs is the responsibility of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). DfES do not recommend or endorse specific organisations for providing advice to young people on drugs, although they do fund training for schools. This is to ensure that schools have the knowledge and skills to make such decisions based on the needs of their pupils and the policy of their school governors.

Drugs Education

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much it cost to produce the poster for schools 31166—Where to find resources; how widely it was distributed; and what representations he has received about it.

Hazel Blears: The poster was not produced for schools, although teachers could register to receive it. The total production and distribution cost for poster 31166 was (fully inclusive of all mailing costs) £7,200, at a unit cost of 16p. 45,000 copies were produced.
	The poster was distributed to people who had registered to receive general health promotion information and to health promotion units. Two thirds of the original print run have been distributed. The poster is available on the Department's website. While there are no plans to print further copies at this stage, updates and corrections will be made to the document displayed on the Department's website. I am not aware of any further representations about this poster.

Drugs Education

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria the Department used to decide which organisations to include as resources on drugs on the Department's poster for schools 31166—Where to find resources.

Hazel Blears: The poster was not produced for schools, although teachers could register to receive it. The list of contacts included covered larger national organisations that produce information for the public on a range of health issues, including drugs. As poster 31166 clearly states, this list is not exhaustive and inclusion does not signify endorsement by the Department.

Drugs Education

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the criticisms of Lifeline Drug Information and Advice contained in paragraph 207 of the Third Report from the Home Affairs Committee, Session 2001–02.

Hazel Blears: Following the Home Affairs Committee's report, the Government gave a commitment to review its rules on the use of public money to fund drugs communications with young people. The review was undertaken by officials from the Home Office, the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills, as well as voluntary sector partners, academic and communications experts. The new rules have now been approved by Ministers and will be made public shortly.

Drugs Education

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department had with the Home Office before producing poster 31166—Where to find resources; when the last meeting took place between his Department and the Home Office to discuss drug education in schools and how frequently such meetings take place.

Hazel Blears: Officials from the Department of Health and the Home Department are in regular contact over matters of drug policy, and meet frequently. The Departments work closely together to co-ordinate delivery of the national drug strategy although this would not include detailed discussions on each piece of work.

Foundation Trusts

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that staff working in non-foundation trusts are not recruited by foundation trusts; and if he will make a statement on the creation of competition between hospitals.

John Hutton: National health service foundation trusts will play an important part in promoting career development within the NHS and staff will continue to move between employers as part of normal career development. There will be a number of safeguards to prevent development of inappropriate competition between NHS employers in a particular area:
	All NHS foundation trusts will, presuming it is agreed, implement the new "Agenda for Change" national pay system for the NHS;
	Other local NHS organisations will be able to exercise influence over the running of a NHS foundation trust through its membership and governance arrangements;
	NHS foundation trusts will be subject to a statutory duty of partnership just like other NHS trusts;
	NHS foundation trusts will provide services at the national tariff rate and will be subject to a system of financial flows that operates on the principle of payment by results. They will not be able to increase charges for clinical services to reflect higher wage costs;
	Under the national tariff, any cost increases relating to enhanced terms and conditions for staff would have to be absorbed by NHS foundation trusts themselves and it will not be in their interest to take action leading to local wage inflation.

Health Bodies (Information Requests)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has provided to strategic health authorities and primary care trusts regarding their requirement to reply to hon. Members who seek information from them; and what guidance he has given as to a reasonable amount of time before such replies are received.

John Hutton: Strategic heath authorities and primary care trusts are required to adhere to the standard national health service response time as outlined in section 6 (Response to Requests for Information) of the "Code of Practice on Openness in the NHS". A copy has been placed in the Library. An acknowledgement must be sent within four working days and, where possible, the information should follow within 20 days.

Hospital Beds

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the relative hospital bed occupancy rate was of (a) married and (b) unmarried (i) males and (ii) females in the last year for which figures are available.

John Hutton: Information on hospital bed occupancy rates by gender and marital status is not available.

Nurses

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurse returners (a) have been recruited to return to practice schemes, (b) have successfully completed these schemes and (c) have subsequently been employed by the NHS in England, for recruits entering schemes (i) from 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000, (ii) from 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001, (iii) from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002 and (iv) from 1 April 2002, including the latest statistics available, in (A) England and (B) each NHS region.

John Hutton: The information available is shown in the table.
	
		Number of Nurses and Midwives who have returned to work in the NHS(2)
		
			  1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03(3) 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorks 295 733 545 — 
			 North West 622 331 288 — 
			 Trent 368 744 412 — 
			 West Midlands 334 384 344 — 
			 Eastern 352 453 403 — 
			 London 258 561 738 — 
			 South East 622 807 660 — 
			 South West 183 466 373 — 
			 Total 3,034 4,479 3,763 — 
			  
			 South(4) — — — 459 
			 Midlands and Eastern(4) — — — 586 
			 North(4) — — — 319 
			 London(4) — — — 500 
			 Total — — — 1,864 
			 Overall total 13,140 
		
	
	(2) Figures for those attending and completing return to practice courses are not available.
	(3) For April to September 2002 only.
	(4) From 2002 the NHS regions have changed from eight to four.
	Source
	Quarterly returns from Workforce Development Confederations
	Between February 1999 and September 2002 13,140 former nurses and midwives had returned to work in the National Health Service. Return to practice courses for nurses, midwives and health visitors who wish to return to the NHS are free and from 1 April 2001 healthcare professionals returning to the NHS receive a minimum of £1,000 income to support them whilst they are retraining (£1,500 for midwives). They are also entitled to assistance with childcare costs and the cost of travel and books. In both 2001–02 and 2002–03 the Department allocated funding to workforce development confederations for 4,500 former nurses and midwives to attend return to practice training
	An Evaluation Study commissioned by the Department of Health, show that 86 per cent. of people that had completed a Return to Practice course in the last three years had returned and remained in practice.

Nurses

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the vacancy rate was for nurses working in coronary care in (a) England, (b) each NHS region and (c) each NHS trust in each of the last six years;
	(2)  how many nurses were working in coronary care in the NHS.

John Hutton: Nurses employed in coronary care are included in the number of nurses employed in acute, elderly and general care.
	As at September 2001, the number of nurses employed in the acute, elderly and general care was 177,900.
	The national health service vacancy survey, first collected in March 1999, collects information on the number of posts which trusts are actively trying to fill which have been vacant for three months or more. Between March 1999 and 2002 the three-month vacancy rate for acute, elderly and general nurses has fallen from 3.6 per cent. to 3.2 per cent.; this demonstrates that our recruitment and retention initiatives are making an impact.

Nurses

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of student nurses, who successfully completed a three year nursing diploma course to become a registered general nurse, failed to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council within one year of completion of their course in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Since 1 April 2002, of the 18,766 nurses completing diploma and degree studies, 17,782 (95 per cent.) are now registered, 930 (5 per cent.) are pending awaiting fee payment and 54 (0.3 per cent.) have, to date, made no attempt to register. Separate figures for those completing diploma and degree studies are not held.
	Registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council during 2001–02 was disrupted when the computerised registration system was closed down for 12 days in March 2002.

Nurses

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of student nurses undertaking three year nursing diploma programmes to become registered general nurses failed to complete the course in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Data on nurses failing to complete their studies were last collected nationally in 2000–01. The following table shows the number of leavers (nurses who failed to complete the course) by 2000–01 for the last four cohorts where there were substantial numbers of active students undertaking three year nursing diploma programmes.
	
		
			  Started Leavers Percentage 
		
		
			 1997–98 16,028 3,287 20.5 
			 1998–99 15,997 2,938 18.4 
			 1999–2000 17,504 2,338 13.4 
			 2000–01 16,899 1,035 6.1 
		
	
	Note:
	This data are based on a snapshot in time of a particular cohort(s) and therefore each year there will still be students who have yet to complete their course.

Private Finance Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

John Hutton: Listed are the private finance initiative (PFI) schemes with a capital value of £20 million or above scheduled to become operational in 2003 showing details of the expected savings to public funds.
	
		Net Present Costs of PFI v. PSC Option
		
			 Trust PFI £000 Public £000 Savings in net present value terms £000 Percentage difference 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 1,166,326 1,179,431 13,105 1.11 
			 West Middlesex University Hospitals NHS Trust 1,082,900 1,088,000 5,100 0.47 
			 Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 240,600 241,613 1,013 0.42 
			 St. George's Hospitals NHS Trust 565,565 565,768 203 0.04 
			 West Berkshire Priority Care NHS Trust 273,245 282,228 8,983 3.18 
			 Total projected savings — — 28,404 — 
		
	
	Details of expected savings on PFI schemes are not held centrally for schemes with a capital value below £20 million.

United Kingdom Accreditation Service

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will recognise the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) as the sole national body for the accreditation of laboratories and transfer the functions of Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd. to UKAS.

John Hutton: United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the sole body recognised by the Government for accreditation of various tests and calibrations undertaken by laboratories and those organisations providing certification and inspection services. Pathology laboratory accreditation is for the most part overseen by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd. (CPA), which has long-standing expertise in accrediting pathology laboratories. UKAS and CPA have established a Council Partnership and agreed a Memorandum of Understanding. In brief, this agreed the two organisations would work together for the benefit of laboratories interested in both UKAS and both CPA accreditation. This is a sensible approach and the Department of Health does not wish to change it.

United Kingdom Accreditation Service

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department has given to the Accreditation Awareness Campaign run by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.

John Hutton: The Department of Health has been consistent in its full support for the accreditation awareness campaign run by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). The Department uses UKAS accreditation services whenever it is appropriate to do so.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Access Radio

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many FM access radio licences, as foreseen in the Communications Bill, could be issued to (a) the City of Manchester and (b) the UK; and how many of these will be found (i) in existing national sub bands held by the BBC and (ii) within frequency allocations currently suggested by the Radio Authority to carry future commercial radio stations.

Kim Howells: The evaluation of the 15 pilot stations, published by the Radio Authority on 19 March suggested that there may be as many as five frequencies available in Manchester, although the exact extent would need to be reviewed in the context of precisely-defined demand.
	The precise numbers of frequencies available for access radio stations across the UK has not been established. However, there would be little point in legislating for a new tier of radio if there was not available spectrum. The Radio Authority's report on future FM frequency availability published on 4 March found that there was likely to be a significant, although still finite, resource for services of very small coverage.
	Further research will be required into overall FM capacity for access radio. It is expected that this will be taken forward by OFCOM.

Access Radio

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Government expect to publish their draft Order facilitating access radio.

Kim Howells: We first need to consider the recommendations of Professor Everitt's evaluation of the 15 pilot stations. It is too early to say when a draft Order may be published.

Advertising Campaigns

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns between April 2002 and March 2003; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to (a) television, (b) radio and (c) print media.

Kim Howells: The Department has had a nil spend on advertising and promotional campaigns relating to television, radio and print media between April 2002 and March 2003.

Free Television Licences (Buckingham)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her most recent estimate is of the number of pensioners over-75 in the Buckingham constituency who are receiving a free television licence.

Kim Howells: TV Licensing, who administer the concession as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 4,300 people aged 75 or over living in the Buckingham constituency.

Market Research

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what expenditure has been incurred by her (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental bodies in 2002 on (i) opinion polling, (ii) focus groups and (iii) other forms of market research; and if she will list the surveys commissioned and the purpose of each.

Kim Howells: The Department's expenditure on opinion polling, focus groups and other forms of market research for 2001–02 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Activity 2001–02 
		
		
			 Opinion polling (5)7,595 
			 Focus groups (6)29,820 
			 Market research (7)10,800 
		
	
	(5) (a) Research undertaken that would assess consumers' perceptions of digital television and (b) questions on culture and the internet for Culture Online included in an omnibus survey.
	(6) (a) Eight focus groups with teachers, children and adults for Culture Online and (b) consultation with a group of young people when developing a national arts award, regarding the structure of the award.
	(7) An online survey of the use of culture web-sites of existing users of six cultural web-sites for Culture Online.
	The opinion polling figure is revised from £36,382 presented last year as the difference is proper to 2002–03.
	The Department's agency, the Royal Parks Agency, did not incur expenditure on opinion polling or focus groups in 2001–02. Its expenditure on market research relating to annual visitors survey, Stakeholder Audit and monitoring the Kensington Gardens cycle trial was £59,840.
	Information on expenditure by the Department's non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Tourism (Northern Ireland)

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the reasons for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board not being included in VisitBritain.

Kim Howells: holding answer 3 April 2003
	VisitBritain is the name which the British Tourist Authority will use in future. The British Tourist Authority was set up by the Development of Tourism Act 1969, and it is this Act which is clear that duty to promote Britain abroad covers Scotland, Wales and England, but not Northern Ireland. I am happy to say, however, that the excellent formal and informal co-operation between VisitBritain and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board will continue in future, and a revised and strengthened memorandum of understanding between the two is in the final stages of preparation. Although the 1969 Act does not provide for the Chair of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to be a member of the VisitBritain Board, the Chairman has accepted an invitation to have observer status on the Board.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff are employed by her Department.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 3 April 2003, Official Report, column 780W.

Travel Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the cost was of travel by train by staff in her Department in 2002.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not readily available without incurring disproportionate cost.
	My Department ensures that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel commensurate with meeting departmental operational needs.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Al-Qaeda

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the involvement of al-Qaeda in terrorism in the Middle East.

Mike O'Brien: Al-Qaeda and related groups remain a real and sophisticated threat. They form an international network, not only confined to the Middle East. The UK, together with the US and international partners, remains committed to dismantling their international terrorist network.

Chad (Islamist Mercenaries)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning incursions made by Islamist mercenaries from Chad into (a) Sudan and (b) Nigeria; and what representations he will be making to the Government of Chad concerning these incursions.

Bill Rammell: There are persistent reports of fighting in Darfur, Western Sudan, involving tribes and groups from Chad and Libya. Recent unconfirmed reports allege that Chadian mercenaries were involved in the attack against Al-Tinah on the Sudan/Chad border. Chad has closed the border with Sudan and deployed troops there to uphold the security agreement signed between Sudan and Chad.
	The Nigerian police regularly report on the presence of substantial numbers of Chadians among those arrested in violent conflicts in Northern Nigeria.
	It is for the Governments of Sudan and Nigeria, rather than the British Government, to make representations to the Government of Chad on these matters.

Commercial Confidentiality

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance his Department issues to civil servants on how to deal with claims from organisations that the information they provide to the Department is commercially confidential.

Bill Rammell: Guidance to staff in British Trade International, including staff in overseas posts, emphasises the need to ensure that all information is handled carefully, and that information received from or about a British business should not be disclosed, without the latter's permission, to other firms or organisations.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 25 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms E. Vaswani.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied on 31 March to my right hon. Friend's letter on behalf of his constituent.

Ethiopia/Eritrea

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Ethiopian Government, (b) the Eritrean Government and (c) the United Nations on the demarcation of the boundary between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Bill Rammell: The UK maintains regular dialogue with the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea as well as the UN regarding the demarcation of the boundary between Ethiopia and Eritrea. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed this with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi when he visited the UK in February. My noble Friend Baroness Amos discussed it with the Eritrean Ambassador and Head of the Political Department of the ruling party in March. Our ambassadors in Addis Ababa and Asmara have frequent contact with the governments of both countries and with Legwaila Joseph Legwaila the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General. We have made clear to both Ethiopia and Eritrea that they must respect the decisions of the Boundary Commission, in line with their commitments under the Algiers Peace Agreement.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Spain regarding commemoration of 300 years of British sovereignty in Gibraltar in 2004.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no such discussions.

Great Lakes Region

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the leaders of the states in the Great Lakes Region on (a) violent crime and (b) small arms proliferation.

Bill Rammell: Small arms proliferation remains a significant problem in the region. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with the leaders of the states in the Great Lakes Region on violent crime and small arms proliferation. But the UK works extensively in Africa with Governments, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and NGOs on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) issues. We have committed significant resources from our Global Conflict Prevention Pool for SALW to assist the Secretariat that supports the 2000 Nairobi Declaration.

Iran

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on human rights abuses in Iran.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary regularly receives a wide range of representations about the human rights situation in Iran. My right hon. Friend and I regularly raise human rights with the Iranian authorities, including with the Iranian Foreign Minister when we met on 6 February.

Iran

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met Iranian officials.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I met the Iranian Foreign Minister in London on 6 February.

Kashmir

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Ministers in his Department next plan to meet their (a) Indian and (b) Pakistani opposite numbers to discuss Kashmir.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, regularly raises our concerns in relation to Kashmir with the Governments of India and Pakistan, including during frequent telephone calls. Pakistani Foreign Minister Kasuri has accepted an invitation from the Foreign Secretary to visit London in the near future. The Foreign Secretary also hopes to meet the Indian Foreign Minister in the UK during May. Dates for these visits have yet to be confirmed.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring he is undertaking of the situation in Darfur, Sudan, with particular reference to (a) the number of death sentences recently carried out, (b) women's rights and (c) reform of its judiciary.

Bill Rammell: We are monitoring developments in Darfur and are following the cases of those sentenced to death. In relation to women's rights and judicial reform our focus has not been on Darfur specifically, but we have been in contact with the Government of Sudan about the role and function of the special courts.
	Our ambassador to Khartoum has requested permission to travel to Darfur and will do so as soon as possible.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Arab-African conflict in Darfur, Sudan.

Bill Rammell: Historically there have been clashes between tribal groups in Darfur over access to land and water. There are also long-standing claims of insufficient development in the region. Recently the frequency of clashes has increased and Government forces have also become involved.
	The British embassy in Khartoum continues to discuss the situation in Darfur with a wide range of Government and National Congress party officials, in addition to Darfur MPs and other local representatives. Our ambassador has requested permission to visit Darfur and will do so as soon as possible.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the aerial bombardment in Rier, Sudan; and what monitoring he is undertaking of use of Antatov bombers, by the Government of Sudan.

Bill Rammell: UN Security and the US-led Civilian Protection Monitoring Team are unaware of any recent incidents of aerial bombardment in Sudan.
	On 4 February, the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army agreed an addendum to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cessation of hostilities. The addendum aimed to strengthen the MoU which was signed at Machakos on 15 October 2002 and extended on 18 November 2002. It contains many new and welcome initiatives to build confidence between the parties and to make less likely the sorts of outbreaks of fighting which we saw in Western Upper Nile in January. We also welcomed the establishment of the new Verification and Monitoring Team (VMT) and have committed US$ 500,000 to support its important work.

Zimbabwe

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on human rights abuses of British citizens residing in Zimbabwe.

Bill Rammell: The British High Commission in Harare has this year received a small number of representations from British citizens in Zimbabwe about ill treatment. Where appropriate, the British High Commission has taken the matter up with the Zimbabwean authorities. We remain ready to do so as and when necessary.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Educational Maintenance Allowances

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when children in each London local authority will be eligible for educational maintenance allowances.

Margaret Hodge: The national Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme will be available from September 2004 across the whole of England.
	EMA is being piloted in a number of areas, 16 of which are in London. In areas such as Regent's Park and Kensington North which are not part of the pilot scheme, the first tranche of eligible students will be those who reach the compulsory school leaving age in the 2003/2004 academic year.

ICT

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on ICT (a) in total and (b) per pupil in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in England in 2001/02.

Charles Clarke: The total spend on ICT in schools in 2001/02 was £563 million. The average expenditure per pupil was £58 for primary schools and £88 for secondary schools.
	The latest information on ICT in schools was published in Statistical Bulletin 07/02 'Survey of Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2002', which is available from the Library. An enhanced version of this with total expenditure data is on the Department's web-site www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics.

Student Fees

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of higher education students' fees are wholly remitted on account of income; and what proportion of students have home postcodes which attract additional university funding from HEFCE.

Margaret Hodge: In England and Wales students on full-time undergraduate courses and their families are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of their tuition only if they can afford to do so. The percentage of students in England and Wales in academic year 2000/01 (latest year for which data are available) who have been assessed to make a nil contribution towards the cost of their tuition is 42 per cent. This figure includes those students eligible for student support studying in further education colleges, and also English and Welsh domiciled students studying at UK institutions.
	According to latest available data, around 30 per cent. of English-domiciled students registered at English higher education institutions and 48 per cent. of English-domiciled students registered at English further education attracted additional funding from HEFCE. This funding was allocated on the basis of postcodes to support recruitment and retention of students from low participation neighbourhoods.

Student Fees

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether student musicians will be exempted from increased tuition fees.

Margaret Hodge: No.

Student Fees

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he plans to recover post-course tuition fees from students who have been (a) resident in the UK but go abroad after graduation and (b) resident abroad before commencing their studies.

Margaret Hodge: There are mechanisms in place to recover loan repayments for maintenance from UK students who live abroad after graduation, and who are outside the UK tax system, through direct payments to the Student Loans Company. The arrangements for collecting varied fees from EU graduates and UK graduates that go abroad will be based on these mechanisms.

Vocational Qualifications

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people aged 14 to 19 are studying for a vocational qualification in (a) further education colleges, (b) schools and (c) on-the-job training in each of the learning and skills council areas.

Margaret Hodge: The numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds studying vocational qualifications in schools and further education colleges (including sixth form colleges) at end 2000 by each local Learning and Skills Council area are given in the following table. The year 2000 is the latest for which comparable figures are available. The figures include people studying NVQs, VCE A-levels, GNVQs and equivalents.
	Also included are the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds in Government Supported Training (GST). Local level information for other forms of work-based training is not available.
	Numbers of 14 and 15-year-olds in schools are not available by type of course being studied.
	
		Participation in vocational qualifications(8) in England by local LSC area, end 2000
		
			  16 to 19-year-olds(9) 16 to 18-year-olds(9) 
			  All Schools(10) Sixth form and other FE colleges(11) Government supported training(12) 
		
		
			 North East
			 County Durham 600 6,000 3,000 
			 Northumberland 1,000 2,700 1,400 
			 Tees Valley 200 10,100 3,900 
			 Tyne and Wear 2,200 12,400 5,900 
			 
			 North West
			 Cheshire and Warrington 1,300 8,600 3,200 
			 Cumbria 900 4,700 2,600 
			 Greater Manchester 900 31,500 11,300 
			 Greater Merseyside 3,000 16,700 8,300 
			 Lancashire 600 19,000 6,500 
			 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber   
			 Humberside 600 11,400 4,700 
			 North Yorkshire 1,500 7,100 3,400 
			 South Yorkshire 1,300 14,300 6,100 
			 West Yorkshire 4,800 24,300 8,100 
			 
			 East Midlands
			 Derbyshire 1,100 9,700 4,100 
			 Leicestershire 1,600 9,700 2,500 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 900 6,100 2,500 
			 Northamptonshire 1,300 5,900 2,300 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,100 11,000 4,100 
			 
			 West Midlands
			 Birmingham and Solihull 2,300 14,500 3,000 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire 1,000 9,400 3,200 
			 Herefordshire and Worcestershire 900 7,900 2,300 
			 Shropshire 200 5,100 1,900 
			 Staffordshire 1,300 12,300 4,500 
			 The Black Country 2,000 13,100 5,100 
			 
			 East of England
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 1,000 6,600 1,600  
			 Cambridgeshire 1,300 6,300 1,900 
			 Essex 2,100 14,500 4,100 
			 Hertfordshire 2,000 8,500 2,000 
			 Norfolk 800 7,100 2,100 
			 Suffolk 1,100 6,100 2,300 
			 
			 London
			 London Central 3,000 11,000 1,900 
			 London East 3,600 20,800 4,200 
			 London North 2,000 10,700 1,600 
			 London South 2,400 9,500 2,100 
			 London West 3,600 13,400 2,100 
			 
			 South East
			 Berkshire 1,500 6,400 2,700 
			 Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 700 19,100 5,200 
			 Kent and Medway 4,400 13,000 3,700 
			 Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire 2,600 10,900 3,900 
			 Surrey 1,500 7,800 1,300 
			 Sussex 2,200 13,300 3,000 
			 
			 South West
			 Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole 1,200 6,100 2,700 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3,000 16,200 5,400 
			 Gloucestershire 800 5,300 1,800 
			 Somerset 400 6,000 2,000 
			 West of England 1,400 8,900 2,700 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon 700 6,700 1,600 
		
	
	(8) Highest qualification aim of student. There will be some whose highest aim is an academic qualification, but who combine this with a lower level vocational qualification.
	(9) Age as at 31August.
	(10) From January 2001 Annual Schools Census. Includes all 16 to 19-year-olds in maintained and independent schools and City Technology Colleges. Excludes special schools, as qualification breakdowns are not available.
	(11) From the LSC's Individualised Student Record—final data for snapshot at 1 November 2000. Includes all 16 to 19-year-olds in sixth form colleges, general FE colleges, tertiary colleges and specialist colleges.
	(12) From the Training and Enterprise Council's Management information Service combined with the trainee databases, as at end 2000.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Employer Liability Insurance

David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure that main contractors working for government authorities ensure that their specialist and sub-contractors have in place employers liability compulsory insurance; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) on 27 March 2003, Official Report, columns 369–70W.

MPDI Networks

David Heyes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect HSE's October 2002 warning of the need for replacement of all non-Transco owned MPDI networks within 30 metres of buildings has had on the development of (a) a complete picture of all such networks, irrespective of ownership and (b) a programme of work for their replacement that is agreed with their owners.

Nick Brown: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued an alert to occupiers of sites and local authorities with their own gas mains that medium pressure ductile iron (MPDI) pipes need to be replaced. This followed enforcement action requiring Transco to carry out an agreed accelerated programme of replacement of all MPDI gas mains located within 30 metres of buildings by the end of 2002.
	The effect of this was that a small number of additional sites with MPDI gas pipes have been identified as a result and HSE will ensure a programme of remedial measures is implemented.

Benefit Payments

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners collect benefits from post offices in Derbyshire.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of pensioners in Derbyshire receiving DWP benefits (including War Pensions) collectable from post offices is 88,274 as at the 28 December 2002. This figure includes benefits paid by giro cheque, which can also be paid into a bank or building society account.
	Some customers who are paid direct into an account can also collect their benefit in cash at post offices through network banking arrangements at the Post Office. There are no data available on the number of benefit claims collected in this way.

Benefit Payments

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) number and (b) proportion of those who have their pension paid into a bank or building society account are paid (i) weekly and (ii) monthly in arrears in (A) the Scottish Borders, (B) Scotland and (C) the UK.

Ian McCartney: The available information is in the table.
	The number and proportion of retirement pensioners receiving payment directly into a bank or building society account as at 25 January 2003 is as follows:
	
		
			 Area Number Proportion (percentage) 
		
		
			 The Scottish Borders 11,082 53.1 
			 Scotland 368,348 45.9 
			 Great Britain 4,547,874 49.6 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures for the Scottish Borders are for the area of the local authority.

Child Support Agency

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents were permitted by the Child Support Agency not to name the father of their child because of fear of violence in each year for which the concession has been available.

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 2 April 2003
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You ask how many lone parents were permitted by the Child Support Agency not to name the father of their child because of fear of violence in each year for which the concession has been available.
	I do not have the information to answer this fully. I do however have some relevant information in relation to sole parents who are in receipt of "prescribed benefits". They are obliged to provide information to the Agency. Some parents may not wish to provide this because they have a genuine fear of violence or intimidation from the other parent, or where there are child welfare issues, which would mean that it would not be prudent to contact the other parent. We do not press the parent with care to provide information about the alleged other parent if there are reasonable grounds to believe that to do so may harm or distress the parent with care or any child living with him or her—this is known as "good cause".
	I do not have figures relating to periods before April 1997. Since then approximately 120,000 applications were on the grounds of a genuine fear of violence or intimidation. My best estimate is that around 100,000 of those cases were lone parents.

Fraud Prevention Board

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions who is on the Fraud Prevention Board.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department and the Post Office work closely together through a number of forums to improve instruments of payment security and combat fraud. One such forum is the Fraud Prevention Board which is jointly chaired by the Deputy Divisional Head of the Department's Fraud Strategy Unit and the Head of Security, Post Office Corporate Clients.
	Fraud Prevention Board members are drawn from areas of the Department and Post Office responsible for fraud and security; contracts; service delivery and operational analysis.

Housing Benefit

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received Housing Benefit in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of British households claimed Housing Benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  British households receiving Housing Benefit in 2002 
		
		
			 Number of Housing Benefit recipients 3,806,000 
			 Housing Benefit recipients as a proportion of all British households (percentage) 15.8 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The data refer to households claiming Housing Benefit which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one benefit household can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share arrangement.
	2. Figures includes estimates for local authorities that have not responded. This estimate is based on historical and regional data. These types of estimates are standard practice in reporting totals where there have been non-respondents.
	3. The figures exclude any Extended Payment cases.
	4. Caseload figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand, and percentages rounded to one decimal place.
	5. Information on the number or proportion of British households who claimed Housing Benefit during 2002 is not available.
	Sources:
	1. Average of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload counts taken in February, May, August and November 2002.
	2. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister household estimates mid 2001.

Independent Schools (Health and Safety)

John Burnett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many inspections have been made of independent schools by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last ten years; and of those inspections, how many of the schools (a) have subsequently had an asbestos survey carried out by an expert and (b) have followed HSE guidance on asbestos.

Nick Brown: Asbestos is one of a number of risks considered when a school is inspected. The number of independent schools which have been inspected, had asbestos surveys or followed HSE guidance on asbestos is not separately identified. However, the information that is available is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of inspections 
			  LA controlled Schools Other Schools(13) 
		
		
			 1995–96 197 116 
			 1996–97 538 340 
			 1997–98 542 271 
			 1998–99 306 269 
			 1999–2000 319 198 
			 2000–2001 368 147 
			 2001–2002 283 156 
			 2002–2003(14) 133 130 
		
	
	(13) Other schools Volutary Aided, Foundation and Independent Schools
	(14) Provisional

Jobcentre Plus

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the development and roll out of Jobcentre Plus.

Nick Brown: Jobcentre Plus was launched in April 2002 with the merging of the Employment Service and those parts of the Benefits Agency providing services to working age people. Through our expanding network of modern, welcoming offices and the introduction of modern technology we are providing a better service to customers, employers and the local community.
	The roll-out of the new integrated offices is progressing well and we currently have more than 160 offices delivering the new service. On 10 December 2002 we announced the order of roll-out for the rest of the country to take place over the next three years.
	We are also investing in modern technology to improve access to our services. The introduction of new contact centres, touch-screen Jobpoints and improved internet services are enabling our customers to enquire about benefits and job vacancies at a time and place convenient to them.

Jobcentre Plus

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the procedures are for consultation with (a) staff, (b) local communities and (c) local hon. Members over a proposal to reduce the services of or to close a local jobcentre.

Nick Brown: From its introduction in April 2002, Jobcentre Plus inherited two large networks of offices from the former Employment Service and those parts of the Benefits Agency that provided services to people of working age. This estate has around 1,100 Jobcentres and 400 social security offices.
	This formation of Jobcentre Plus allows us to bring our services together into integrated offices providing help with both claiming benefits and moving into work. In locations where we currently, for example, have both a Jobcentre and a Social Security office providing separate services it may make sense to replace them with just one integrated Jobcentre Plus office to provijde all of our services.
	We are making sure that our plans for the rollout of Jobcentre Plus services are communicated widely. In June 2002 a letter was sent to MPs whose constituencies may have been affected by the rollout in 2002–03. District Managers also wrote to their local MPs, staff, trade unions and other local stakeholders to share their early" plans for the provision of services within the district and to invite comments. District Managers responded to the comments they received and wrote again in September 2002 with details of the agreed plans.
	On 10 December 2002 I gave a written statement, Official Report, columns 8–9 WS giving details of the rollout of Jobcentre Plus for 2003–2006 and, in January 2003, a letter was sent to those MPs whose constituencies would be affected. District Managers will be contacting MPs and local stakeholders as planning begins in each new district.

Medical Services

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to amend the grading system used in audits of medical assessments of claimants to allow for a specific grade for those reports which are not fit for purpose.

Nick Brown: Medical Services and doctors in the Department's Corporate Medical Group regularly review the effectiveness of medical quality audit systems. Medical Services' aim is to maintain the highest standards of medical quality. The Department's decision makers judge whether a report is fit for purpose. Reports that are not fit for purpose are identified and returned to Medical services to be reworked.

New Deal

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many participants in the New Deal for (a) Young People, (b) 50 Plus, (c) Lone Parents and (d) Long-term Unemployed have accepted permanent employment with the Department for Work and Pensions, broken down by year.

Nick Brown: The information is not available for all of the Department and its agencies.
	The following table provides information on the number of people who, having been taken on under the subsidised employment option of the New Deal in the former Employment Service (ES) and Jobcentre Plus, have gained permanent employment in Jobcentre Plus. Information broken down by each New Deal is not available.
	
		
			  Number of people who have gained permanent employment with ES/Jobcentre Plus(15) 
		
		
			 1998–99 18 
			 1999–2000 88 
			 2000–01 123 
			 2001–02 63 
			 2002–03(16) 21 
		
	
	(15) Jobcentre Plus was launched in April 2002. The Employment Service and Benefits Agency ceased to exist at the same time.
	(16) Up to end December 2002.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus
	In addition, up to July 2002 a further 3,556 people have been taken on across the Department from the New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus. These people have come through the Department's normal recruitment processes. Information on how many of these have secured permanent jobs is not available.

Pensions Payment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners had their pensions collected on their behalf from a post office in the most recent week for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. Information is available of pensions customers who have an appointee recorded on their benefit account. As at 25 January 2003, of the 10.2 million pensions customers, 0.77 per cent. are recorded as having an appointee to collect their pension at a Post Office. Pensioners can also arrange to have their payment collected on their behalf by an agent. There are no reliable figures available for pensioners who choose this option.

SchlumbergerSema

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the levels of performance against the key performance targets in respect of SchlumbergerSema (a) for each of the last 12 months and (b) since the re-awarding of its contract; on how many occasions a financial remedy has been applied to SchlumbergerSema since it was first awarded the Benefits Medical Assessment Contract; how much the financial remedy was on each of the occasions until the re-awarding of the contract; how much the financial remedy was on each of the occasions since the re-awarding of the contract; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: Service credits for failure to meet contractual service level targets are commercial in confidence and not disclosed under part 2, paragraph 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	A copy of the information relating to the key performance targets has been placed in the Library.

Tax Credits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether people who stop being entitled to income support or jobseeker's allowance in favour of the new tax credits will retain access to grants and loans from the Social Fund.

Malcolm Wicks: With the introduction of the new tax credits from April 2003, we estimate that more than 75 per cent. of families floating off income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance will gain by at least £20 a week—some by much bigger amounts. Anyone who receives the child tax credit at the maximum rate or any other rate greater than the family element, or the working tax credit where a disability or severe disability element is in payment, will qualify for Sure Start maternity grants and funeral payments from the regulated Social Fund, provided that all of the other eligibility criteria are met.
	Budgeting loans and community care grants from the discretionary Social Fund target the available help on the neediest people in our society who qualify for income-related benefits. We have taken the view that access to these elements of the Fund should not be extended to a wider range of people with higher incomes as such help would be poorly targeted and potentially very costly.
	Crisis loans will continue to be available to anyone in an emergency or as a consequence of a disaster where there is no other means of preventing serious damage or serious risk to their health or safety or that of their family. There is no requirement for a crisis loan applicant to be receiving an income-related benefit or a tax credit, but any income or capital they have will be taken into account.

Winter Fuel Payments

David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the entitlement is to the Winter Fuel Payment; how many have received it in each year since its introduction; how much it has cost in public expenditure in each year; what percentage of this represents the cost of administration of the payment; and what his estimate is of the cost of the payment if it were to be restricted to those entitled to the pension credit.

Ian McCartney: Most people aged 60 and over who normally live in Great Britain are entitled to a Winter Fuel payment. From winter 2000–01, the payment has been either £200 or £100 depending on the composition and circumstances of the household.
	Information on the numbers of payments and total expenditure for each year from 1997–98 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Great Britain 
			  Number in receipt (million) Expenditure (£ million cash) 
		
		
			 1997–98 9.759 191 
			 1998–99 9.953 194 
			 1999–2000 10.084 759 
			 2000–01 11.123 1,749 
			 2001–02 11.202 1,692 
			 2002–03 11.322 1,710 
		
	
	Source:
	Departmental published estimates.
	Information on administrative costs is not currently available in the format requested. In accordance with the requirements of Resource Accounting and Budgeting the Department now accounts for its administration and benefit expenditure by Strategic Objective, as set out in its Public Service Agreements (PSA), and by individual Requests for Resources (RfRs), as set out in the Departmental Estimates and Accounts.
	If Winter Fuel Payments were restricted to entitled recipients of Pension Credit, we estimate the cost to be £750 million per year.

Workstep Programme

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on recent developments in the Workstep programme, with particular reference to (a) achievement of targets for progression to open employment; (b) local authority contribution to capitation payments and (c) the financial health of providers.

Nick Brown: In April 2001, the former Supported Employment Programme was modernised and renamed Workstep to place greater emphasis on developing disabled people and helping them move into mainstream employment where possible.
	Because of the varying potential of participants to make the transition to open employment, formal targets would not be appropriate. However, providers are encouraged to work towards achieving progression for up to 30 per cent. of all new entrants and 10 per cent. of those recruited under the former supported employment programme. Since April 2001, nearly 3,300 individuals have progressed into open employment.
	Payments under Workstep are made to providers when participants achieve specific stages within the programme, and a monthly payment is made to providers for all those they support in work. Depending on the nature of the employment within which support is provided, local authorities and other providers may additionally contribute to the costs of the workplace. The amounts paid vary considerably across Workstep providers and across workplaces.
	The financial health of providers is considered as part of the ongoing monitoring undertaken by Jobcentre Plus of its contractual relationship with providers. The recent extension to Workstep, carried out through a competitive procurement, included a rigorous assessment of financial health for all providers who expressed an interest in the competition.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Community Service

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been sentenced to community service in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion these represented of the number of people convicted of criminal offences.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 1 April 2003
	The information requested for 1992 to 2001 is contained in the table. Statistics for 2002 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Persons sentenced to community service and the proportion of all persons found guilty, England and Wales, 1992 to 2001
		
			  Persons sentenced to combination orders(17) service orders(18) Persons sentenced to combination orders(17) Persons sentenced to community service orders and combination orders 
			  Number Percentage ofall convicted Number Percentage ofall convicted Number Percentage ofall convicted 
		
		
			 1992 44,107 2.9 2,166 0.1 46,273 3.1 
			 1993 47,961 3.4 8,940 0.6 56,901 4.0 
			 1994 49,469 3.5 12,399 0.9 61,868 4.4 
			 1995 48,337 3.6 14,559 1.1 62,896 4.7 
			 1996 45,895 3.2 17,300 1.2 63,195 4.4 
			 1997 47,123 3.4 19,460 1.4 66,583 4.8 
			 1998 48,566 3.3 21,183 1.5 69,749 4.8 
			 1999 49,597 3.5 20,733 1.5 70,330 5.0 
			 2000 49,983 3.5 19,241 1.4 69,224 4.9 
			 2001 49,764 3.7 14,662 1.1 64,426 4.8 
		
	
	(17) Community punishment and rehabilitation orders from April 2000.
	(18) Community punishment orders from April 2000.

Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter dated 16 January from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent Mr. S. Chemlakh of Fraserburgh.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 27 March 2003
	I wrote to the hon. Member on 3 April 2003.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 17 February from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. R. Myers.

David Blunkett: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 28 March 2003.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 18 February to the Department for Transport, which was transferred to the Home Department.

Bob Ainsworth: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 3 April 2003,

Domestic Violence (Police)

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen found to have committed acts of domestic violence have been (a) suspended and (b) dismissed in England and Wales in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 28 March 2003
	When an accusation is made against a police officer an investigation is conducted by a police force's Criminal and Professional Standards Unit. If the police officer is convicted there is a presumption that he or she would be dismissed from the police force, but this is a matter for consideration by the police force.
	There is currently no national policy regarding police perpetrators of domestic violence. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is actively consulting with all police forces regarding this subject and are endeavouring to develop nationwide guidance which it hopes to deliver in September 2003.

Emigration

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the number of UK citizens who departed the UK unidentified by the international passenger survey, in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) race and (b) gender.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Andrew Turner, dated 4 April 2003
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the number of UK citizens who departed from the UK but were not identified by the International Passenger Survey (IPS). (104897)
	The International Passenger Survey (IPS) is a continuous voluntary sample survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It covers the principal air, sea and Channel Tunnel routes between the UK and countries outside the British Isles and currently samples approximately 0.2 per cent of all travellers. The IPS excludes all movements of diplomats and armed forces personnel.
	The IPS is used as the basis for estimating migration between the UK and the rest of the world. A migrant is defined as someone whose length of stay in the destination country will be for a year or more, but this is based upon the intentions of the traveller and it is possible that these might change.
	For the purposes of estimating Total International Migration, estimates of emigrants from the IPS have previously been supplemented with (i) information on people migrating to the Republic of Ireland from the Quarterly Household Survey conducted by the Irish Central Statistics Office, and (ii) an estimate of the number of people who initially leave the UK for less than 12 months but subsequently decide to stay away longer. I cannot currently supply the figures you have requested because the ONS is in the process of revising estimates of Total International Migration for the past decade in the light of the results of the 2001 Census. This work includes investigation of groups of migrants not identified by the IPS and will result in revisions to the previously published series. The revisions are due for publication in late Spring 2003.

Fixed Penalties

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the offenders who defaulted on paying their fixed penalty notices for disorder offences during the recent pilot scheme have since made the payment in full.

Bob Ainsworth: Recipients of penalty notices for disorder offences have 21 days in which to pay the penalty or request a court hearing. If neither action has been taken the penalty will be recorded as not paid and registered as a fine of one and a half times the amount of the penalty. Responsibility for collection of the fine and any enforcement action will fall to the magistrates courts as for any other fine. The evaluation of the pilots will include an assessment of the payment rate of fines registered as a result of non-payment of penalties.

Fixed Penalties

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of fixed penalty notices for disorder offences were paid 21 days after their issue during the recent pilot scheme.

Bob Ainsworth: For penalty notices which had been issued up to 5 January 2003, a total of 53 per cent. were paid within the 21 day period allowed for payment.

Fixed Penalties

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many fixed penalty notices for disorder offences in the pilot scheme were withdrawn; and for what reasons;
	(2)  under what circumstances, when payment is not forthcoming after 21 days, a fixed penalty notice for disorder offences may be withdrawn.

Bob Ainsworth: As at 5 January 2003, 18 penalty notices for disorder had been withdrawn from a total of 1,835 issued. Penalty notices are withdrawn usually at the request of the issuing officer as a result of an error arising from their issue. It is also possible, under the legislation contained in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, for the police to withdraw the penalty notice and seek a prosecution if the recipient fails, within the 21 day suspended enforcement period, to pay the penalty or request a court hearing.

Home Security

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been awarded to provide home security improvements for low income pensioners in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The total cost of measures funded by the Home Office under the scheme to provide home security improvements for low income pensioners living in high crime areas in England, was £5.79 million, including the budgeted provision for 2002–03—final outturn figures for 2002–03 are not yet available. This is split as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2000–01 0.927 
			 2001–02 3.286 
			 2002–03(19) 1.575 
		
	
	(19) Budgeted provision
	The scheme ran from July 2000 to June 2002. These figures cover only the purchase and installation of the security hardware; they do not include administrative or other overhead costs.
	The scheme in Wales has been run under separate arrangements. £44,000 was spent on security measures in 2000–01 and £106,000 in 2001–02. On cessation of the scheme in June 2002, the Welsh Assembly decided to maintain the provision of security equipment as an eligible measure under its Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, but chose not to set any targets, nor earmark dedicated funding in relation to this work.
	Other projects funded under the Crime Reduction Programme have provided home security improvements, including for the elderly, but a breakdown of the age profile of recipients is not available centrally.

Police Numbers

Ivan Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes there have been in police officers numbers in the Tendring Division in Essex since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: Information has not been collected on a regular basis about the number of officers deployed to Basic Command Units within force areas. I would, however, refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) on 2 December 2002 to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes), Official Report, column 589W, setting out police strength for each Basic Command Unit for each force in England and Wales as at 31 March 2002.
	For Essex Police as a whole, between March 1997 and September 2002 police strength increased from 2,961 to 2,988, a record strength for the force. Between March 1997 and March 2002 (the latest available figures), the force's civilian support staff strength rose from 1,199 to 1,571.
	The deployment of resources between the 10 territorial divisions and other specialist operational and support units of the Essex Police is an operational matter for the Chief Constable (Mr. David Stevens QPM).

Prisons

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults have taken place against prison officer staff at prisons in England and Wales during the last 12 months.

Hilary Benn: During the last 12 months there have been 3,365 proven prisoner adjudications for assaults against staff and others. This includes adjudications for assaults on visitors, private contractor employees and non Prison Service staff. The Prison Service does not collect separately, specific data on assault on prison officers. From April 2003, serious assaults on staff and prisoners will be calculated and reported separately.
	The Prison Service is committed to reducing all forms of violence in prison whether affecting prisoners or staff. Future plans will include the development and implementation of a violence reduction strategy, which will bring together existing approaches and seek to develop a safer environment for prisoners and staff.

Prisons

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners are sharing (a) two to a cell designed for one and (b) three to a cell designed for two.

Hilary Benn: At the end of February 2003, 20.2 per cent. of the prisoner population were sharing two to a cell designed for one (doubled).
	The Prison Service does not collect specific data on the number of prisoners sharing three to a cell designed for two. However, at the same date, 23.8 per cent. of the total population were held in overcrowded conditions. This includes prisoners doubled, those held three to a cell designed for two and any prisoners overcrowded in dormitories and larger cells.
	All data are provisional and subject to validation by prisons.

Prisons

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2003, Official Report, column 211–12W, on prisons, what assessment he has made of the effect of reform to the criminal justice system on the reduction of (a) crime and (b) the prison population; and what estimate he has made of the number of prison service prisoners who will be held in police cells in 2004.

Hilary Benn: The Government is undertaking a programme of reform and modernisation in the Criminal Justice System in pursuit of its Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets to reduce crime, narrow the justice gap and increase public confidence in criminal justice. Central to this programme is the Criminal Justice Bill currently going through the House. The Bill provides for a range of significant reforms to the criminal justice system, including criminal procedures and evidence. In particular, it creates a new range of sentences designed to improve public protection and rehabilitate offenders so as to reduce re-offending. The reforms draw upon the review of sentencing policy conducted by John Halliday (Making Punishments Work, published in July 2001). The review made clear that sentencing can reduce crime in a number of ways—through deterrence, incapacitation, reform, rehabilitation, and reparation. It concluded that changes to the present sentencing framework should be capable of reducing crime through reductions in re-offending. The cost-benefit model underpinning the review attempted to quantify these benefits. It is summarised in Appendix 7 of the report.
	Current projections indicate that the sentencing provisions in the Bill will result in a small increase of about 1,000 in the prison population in the long term.
	It is not possible to predict how many prisoners will be held in police cells in 2004. The use of police cells is dependent on the population pressures at the time and the number used can vary on a daily basis. Their use is carefully monitored by the Prison Service and every effort is made to locate Prison Service prisoners held in police cells to a prison as soon as possible. There are currently no prisoners held in Police Cells.

Prisons

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether (a) future annual cost of living pay increases and (b) cost of living increases covering the last two years are to be withheld from instructional officers in Her Majesty's prisons and youth offender institutions who have not signed the new contract; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 2 April 2003
	To enable more effective use of Prison Service Instructional Officers, it has been necessary to make changes to their terms, conditions and working practices. Prison Service operational managers are firmly of the view that such changes are needed if effective regimes are to be delivered and if instructional officers are to continue to be employed alongside the much more flexible—and no more expensive—prison officer instructors. This is an important step in the modernisation of the Prison Service.
	Instructional officers have received the same pay increases as other administrative, secretarial, specialist and support staff in the Prison Service up until the 2002 award. An offer effective from 1 July 2002 was made in December 2002 to their trade union, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), incorporating the changes to terms and conditions and working practices. This was rejected following a ballot of their members. An offer was then made to instructional officers on an individual basis, also incorporating the changes to terms and conditions and working practices. This offer included a £500 non-consolidated payment by way of compensation and an inducement to accept. No instructional officer has been compelled to opt for the new terms and conditions, but around 90 per cent. of instructional officers have now accepted the offer to change.
	It is not sensible to maintain the pay scale under the old terms and conditions by giving cost of living increases, otherwise there would have been little incentive for staff to move to the modernised grade. From 1 July 2002, therefore, the 10 per cent. of instructional officers who have opted out will not receive a cost of living increase. However, those staff below the maximum of the old pay range will continue to receive a fixed amount of pay progression, with the amount dependent on their annual performance appraisal.

Under-age Drinking

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people under the age of 18 years were charged with buying, or attempting to buy, intoxicating liquor in a licensed premises under section 169C of the Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002: and how many have been prosecuted successfully;
	(2)  how many people were charged with selling intoxicating liquor in a licensed premises to a person under the age of 18 years under the section 169A of the Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000 in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 and how many have been successfully prosecuted.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 3 April 2003
	The available information, relating to persons proceeded against and those found guilty of these offences in England and Wales for the year 2001, is shown in the table. Statistics on the numbers of persons charged are not collected centrally.
	Statistics for 2002 will be available in the autumn.
	
		Persons proceeded against and those found guilty at all courts for offences relating to the sale of alcohol to underage persons:England and Wales 2001(20)
		
			 Offence description Statute Year Persons proceeded against Persons found guilty 
		
		
			 Person under 18 buying or attempting to buy or consuming intoxicating liquor in licensed premises Licensing Act, 1964, Sections 169C(1) and 169E(1), Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule (Sec. 3) para. 4(2). 2001 21 14 
			 Selling etc., intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises Licensing Act, 1964, Sections 169A and 169B; Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule (Sec. 3) para. 4(1). 2001 155 53 
		
	
	(20) These data are on the principal offence basis

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Crime

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what studies his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated of the fear of crime amongst (i) women, (ii) men, (iii) older people and (iv) young people.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	The annual British Crime Survey (BCS) provides trend information on levels of fear of crime among adults aged 16 and over. The most recent information available is for 2001–02. This was published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 07/02 (Chapter 9), a copy of which is in the Library.
	
		Worry about crime and personal safety by sex and age 2001–02 -- Percentage feeling very worried about
		
			  Percentages BCS 
			  Burglary Mugging Physical attack Rape Insulted or pestered Theftof a car(21) Theftfrom a car Percentage feeling very unsafe walking alone in area after dark 
		
		
			 Men 13 9 7 5 5 16 15 5 
			 16–29 13 10 9 8 4 19 17 3 
			 30–59 13 8 7 5 5 16 15 3 
			 60 or older 12 10 6 2 4 13 11 10 
			  
			 Women 18 20 23 25 12 18 15 20 
			 16–29 18 22 30 34 14 23 18 14 
			 30–59 18 19 23 25 12 17 14 16 
			 60 or older 17 22 19 18 11 17 12 34 
		
	
	(21) Based on car-owners only
	Source:
	BCS 2001/2.
	Home Office Statistical Bulletin 07/02, Table 9.04
	Results for the year ending March 2003 will be available in July 2003.
	In addition to the annual British Crime Survey, the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate commissions a wide range of other social research, development, statistical economics and modelling work, all of which build up the evidence base, deliver key National statistics and support practical delivery of key Home Office targets for all seven Home Office aims. This includes research to establish 'what works' in reducing fear of crime as part of the Crime Reduction Programme evaluation. Copies of the Research Development and Statistics Directorate's annual work programme since 1998–99 are in the Library.

Crime and Disorder Act

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what (a) discussions and (b) guidance has been issued to local council authorities regarding the implementation of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in evicting council and housing association residents who have been involved in criminal activities.

Tony McNulty: There is no specific guidance on evicting tenants of social landlords who have been involved in criminal activity. While there has been consultation on how to tackle anti-social behaviour in the social rented sector this did not look at criminal activity that is unrelated to the tenants occupation of their tenancy.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister issued guidance "Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour in Mixed Tenure Areas" for Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships members on 27 March 2003. A copy of the guidance has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Mobile Telephone Masts

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many letters his Department has received from residents of the Buckinghamshire constituency (a) in favour of and (b) opposed to the erection of mobile phone masts in 2002.

Tony McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister receives many representations about mobile phone masts, but does not keep records about the number of letters from particular constituencies. The Government Office for the South East have received no letters about this subject from residents of the Buckinghamshire constituency during 2002.

Neighbourhood Warden Schemes (Lancashire)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which councils in Lancashire have (i) applied for funding for a Neighbourhood Warden Scheme and (ii) been unsuccessful in obtaining this funding.

Barbara Roche: The following councils applied for Neighbourhood, Street and Street Crime Warden funding: West Lancashire DC (two), Bolton MBC (two), Burnley BC, Wyre BC, Bury MBC (three), Lancashire City, Preston BC (two), Blackpool BC (two), Blackburn BC and South Ribble BC.
	There were also two other organisations that applied for funding that were not councils. These were Hyndburn FIRST, which is a Crime and Disorder Partnership and Initiative Burnley which is a Town Centre Partnership. Both of these were successful.
	There were seven unsuccessful bids. These were in Bolton, Bury, Preston, West Lancashire, Blackpool, Blackburn and South Ribble.

New Housing

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment has been made of the effect of his policy on building density on the quality of housing.

Tony McNulty: There is no direct link between quality and density. There are some excellent examples of high quality housing built at high density, and the converse. The key is good design.
	The Communities Plan announced additional funding for the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) to drive up design standards and share best practice.

Planning Delivery Grant

Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Planning Delivery Grant.

Tony McNulty: I refer my hon. Friend to the written statement of 10 February 2003, Official Report, columns 35–42WS. A special grant report made under section 88B of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 relating to the allocations of the grant to local planning authorities and the Greater London Authority in 2003–04 is currently before the House (Report No. 177, HC537).

Tuberculosis

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Department of Health and (b) local authorities regarding (i) overcrowding and (ii) poor housing in connection with tackling the rise in incidences of tuberculosis.

Tony McNulty: The Department of Health is in the lead on a Government-wide delivery plan to tackle health inequalities. This will look at a range of factors contributing to inequalities in health. To be published shortly, the delivery plan will set out how Government programmes can be effectively targeted at health inequalities. Tackling poor housing is key to this process and this Office will continue to be involved in ensuring that these problems are addressed.
	Measures in the draft Housing Bill, published on 31 March, introduce the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) to replace the current fitness standard. HHSRS will enable local authorities to assess overcrowding as a health and safety hazard and to take proportionate action. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister welcomes responses from local authorities to this.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received on heroin production in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime; and what steps her Department is taking to tackle heroin production in Afghanistan.

Clare Short: I receive regular Parliamentary Questions and letters from Members of Parliament and others on opium production in Afghanistan.
	The UK is the lead partner nation to the Afghanistan Transitional Administration on counter-narcotics. The Government as a whole is working with the Afghans to support a comprehensive strategy to eliminate opium production in Afghanistan within ten years. My Department is contributing to this effort by supporting the creation of sustainable, alternative, licit livelihoods for people in Afghanistan, including those involved in poppy production.
	In addition to support for broad based rural economic development, we have provided £2.8 million to quick impact reconstruction projects, including in drug producing areas and is providing £1 million to an Aga Khan Foundation alternative livelihoods programme in and around poppy-growing areas in Badakshan, in north-eastern Afghanistan.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her estimate is of the expenditure of her Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in 2002.

Clare Short: The Department no longer purchases newspapers, magazines and periodicals from a central budget, but full details of decentralised expenditure could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The central expenditure is shown in the table for the financial year 2002–03. These figures are provisional and subject to final audit.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Magazines and periodicals 99,775 
			 Newspapers 3,790 
			 Total cost 103,565

International Aid

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what change there has been annually in overall levels of international aid since 1995; and what proportion of this aid has been directed to countries qualifying or seeking to qualify as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country during this period.

Clare Short: Overall levels of net official development assistance (oda) from all bilateral donors have fallen from $59.1 billion in 1995 to $52.3 billion in 2001—the latest year for which data are available. During that period, net oda to the 42 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) has also fallen from $19.0 billion to $15.9 billion, meaning that the proportion going to HIPC has remained relatively stable at just under one-third of all oda. The table shows the figures and percentages for each year.
	
		
			  Total net oda Total net oda to HIPC countries Proportion of total oda given to HIPC countries 
			  $ billion $ billion percentage 
		
		
			 1995 59.1 19.0 32 
			 1996 55.8 17.0 30 
			 1997 47.9 14.9 31 
			 1998 50.1 15.0 30 
			 1999 52.1 15.0 29 
			 2000 53.7 14.7 27 
			 2001 52.3 15.9 30 
		
	
	Source:
	OECD-DAC.
	The list of HIPC countries is available in Statistics On International Development 1997–98–2001–02 page 145, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

Non-governmental Organisations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money her Department gives to each NGO with main headquarters located in the (a) US and (b) UK.

Clare Short: Details of the amounts granted to CSOs are available in Statistics on International Development 1997–98 to 2001–02, Table 14 page 140—a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

Serbia and Montenegro

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what level of aid the UK is providing to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.

Clare Short: Our bilateral programme for the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro (SAM), including Kosovo, will amount to £7.4 million in 2003–2004. Thiswill focus on supporting the economic and social reform and poverty reduction agendas of the governments of SAM. £2 million has also been committed from the Whitehall-pooled Global Conflict Prevention Fund to support policing, community safety and justice sector reform in Serbia. In addition DFID will contribute £39 million to the £201 million allocated by the EC for its 2003 programme in SAM (including Kosovo)

Staff Numbers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff are employed by her Department.

Clare Short: I refer to the central answer being provided by the Cabinet Office on behalf of Government Departments.